Doesn't make much sense for the small cookoffs, also brisket thickness is recommended not required to be 1/4 to 3/8 and no more fatside up slices in the boxes.There was lots of discussion on facebook about the changes some good some bad.

I'm in favor of the rule change primarily regarding the chicken. On larger cook-offs it doesn't make a difference but on smaller events (typically under 50 teams) the judges will now have an undisturbed chicken half to judge appearance. We've talked about this change in Lonestar too.

Over twenty five teams the judges run prelim tables and simply put one half is not enough by the time it hits final table. I see very little use of two in the new scoring system for Texas Gulf Coast because you're only judged by one table so having two halves there is a waste in my opinion. IBCA will benefit from this as long as we stay with the current judging system.

I've been out of cooking for a little while.... Did they ever instate the rule that the turn in boxes were thrown away after the tickets were removed and the numbers called at the awards ceremony? I know that was a hot topic a few years back.

Speed wrote:I've been out of cooking for a little while.... Did they ever instate the rule that the turn in boxes were thrown away after the tickets were removed and the numbers called at the awards ceremony? I know that was a hot topic a few years back.

Yes. The only thing that goes to awards now are the Lids from the containers with the tickets. The food and rest of the box is discarded after all the judging is complete.

I don't cook LSBS anymore but I wish everyone would put this rule in place! I always hated having others be able to taste my food after it placed. If the promoter wants to donate some food, give away the stuff that didn't place. There is usually plenty of that laying around.

It does not bother me one way or another. What wins today may not make final table next week so if tasting 4 or 5 hour old BBQ that just won makes someone feel warm and fuzzy inside I don't care go for it. I rarely taste my own at competitions much less anyone else's unless they bring it to my camp and ask what I think of it.